Spate of killings in Batangas town alarms VACC

By Arnell Ozaeta, ABS-CBN News Southern Tagalog

BATANGAS – The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) condemned the unabated killings in San Pascual town, following the death of former Barangay Poblacion chairman Antonio Tabares, Jr. last December 31.

In a press conference held at the wake of Tabares, VACC chairman Dante Jimenez appealed to President Benigno Aquino III to order the Philippine National Police (PNP) to expedite the investigation process on the string of unresolved cases in San Pascual town.

Jimenez showed the media copies of a letter for Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas II and Department of Justice (DOJ) Leila Delima, seeking help and intervention for the immediate resolution of the cases.

The cases include the murder of Tabares, who was killed along a national highway in Barangay San Antonio at around 7:45 a.m. on December 31.

Last November 27, overseas Filipino worker Ruben Magnaye, 59, was killed by two motorcycle-riding men along Dimatatac Road in Barangay Poblacion at around 7:15 a.m.

On October 30, former vice-mayor Alfredo Aldover was also shot by unknown suspects along a national road in Barangay Poblacion while he was on board his vehicle (VEZ-341) at around 11:15 am.

Police have yet to identify the respective perpetrators and motives behind the killings.

"The sad thing about these cases is that all, and may I repeat, all of the suspects remain at large, and the status of the case with the PNP remains 'under investigation' with no clear lead of how it is currently undergoing," Jimenez said in a statement

Jimenez said the rise in cases of killing is a startling contrast to the president's "Tuwid Na Daan" slogan, and is a challenge to the DILG's mission of promoting peace and order.

After the press conference, Jimenez, along with other volunteers and members of the media, trooped to San Pascual police station to inquire about the developments of the cases.

Jimenez was welcomed by San Pascual Police chief Senior Inspector Manuel Maligaya and briefed him with the latest status of the pending cases.

Unfortunately, no leads have been discovered and no suspects have been apprehended in connection with the cases of Tabares, Aldover and Magnaye.

Maligaya, nonetheless, vowed to the family of the victims and the public that justice will be obtained for the victims.